Street indicator



May 1, 1923. 1,453,463 J. R. HUME STREET INDICATOR Filed Sept. 8, 1919 f 11111111 i M ame/Liar.- f

May l, 1923.

J. R. HUME STREET INDICATOR Filed Sept. 8.

1919 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 ,dtgo

May 1, 1923.

J. R. HUME STREET INDICATOR Filed sept. 8, sheets-sheet 3 1 l I l l I n..

` citizen of the United States,

eicient in lise.

Patented May 1, 1923.

n. IME, Vor1o riferitiof, firffiors;

sirr'tnn'r Innrcnfron;

Aisiiiiaein Meisen-temeer s, k191e. 'ser-iai No.'sezsoeL ,otherebjeete ein appear heeinafter;

My invention consists in thecombinations andfarrangements `of parts hereinafter "de- 'scribed and claimed.

The invention willbebest understood by reference to the 4'accompanjying Vdrawings forming a part of this specificatiom. and .in which, f A i Fig. 1 is a longitudinal section of' astreet ear equipped with street :indicating means :embodying the invention;

iF ig. 2 a ytop plan view showing` the'arrangement of shafts for 'bperating the same. Fig. 3 a transverse section of the shaft arrangement. i f

Figl 4 'an lenlarged fverticajl section bf 'one' bf two indicator casings'niounted in the car. Fig; 5 a face view corresponding vwith 'Fig'. 4. f. ig. 6 a section taken 'on line 6.-6 of 4 and ig. 7 a detailed view of a gearing -farrangement .in the car.

The preferred form of construction as illustrated in the drawings comprises :two

4sign casingsSv arranged at eaeh endfoffthe c`ar1and'e`aoh provided with a fglasswfront 9 "giving a view 'to the interior 'by occupantsl of the car. "Each -of the easings ils-provided with a transverse driving shaft 10 connected with a longitudinal driving 'shown in Figs. 1 fand 7. Each 'ofthe shafts 10 .isoperatively connected with a parallel shaft 11 by means of Av'gears 12 andidler shafts'fl and 14 are ar- Alower portions of each of said ranged .in the casings 8 as shown. .Shafts 10' and lf3. Lcarry coop eratir'lg'- driving lpnillleys vor drums 151 and shafts 11 and T114 carry cooperating -fdrining 'be'lt 417 s .arranged :t0-travel over `drinne ,1.5

pulleys'or drums 16 asShow-n. A n endless travel over .drums 16.\

the ACorresp ondi-ng ,members resting between the :blades -91 rro- .euewaraly lm igai t or reversal' of yeach electric# meters;

and another .endless belt., 18 is arranged .to `The belt 17 .carries projections or blades 19 and the belt 18 car- 'ries vcorrespond-ing `projections y.or blades 20. Gne .portion of the belt 17 is `arranged vto travel rover. a substantial .semi-cylindrical guide 21, kthe .other -portion thereof being f. arranged to i',ravelV vertically immediately to the rear o f suitableigu1des22 along the side walls of thecasing 8; Likewise aportionof the belt 18 Iis arrangedto travel over the semi-cylndrcal gnid 23 and the edges `of the other portion of the Avbelt 18 a r'e arranged ,to travel Vover curvedguides 24 projecting from opposite 'sides of theside walls of the easing SJ-the blades orprojections20 traveling ,between the sign members as indicated in Figs- 4 and 6. Sign members .25 are' arranged @travel in each f the-cas'ingsS to be viewed through glass front 9 said sign during l oneporti'on o'fjtheir travel fas shown.

E achgof the sign membersQarries atransverseepn adapted@ travel Yin v:the `guides 22 as indicated, andeach glass plate ;9v is 27 tof .permit .0f-turning .of .the sign members. By this areneement it Will be obserredthat uren operation of the Shaft 10 ithepssn meinbers v25 will be forced 'to' travel in their Vcastings and will be successively brought to the upper end ofthe gl1ides'22-.when they will fallgoutwardly through said guides automateally reversing in such rfallinglaind vrexposing one of their sides iat the top and the reverse side at lmemberTafter `reversal within the blrlged the bottom- .'Eaeh'fsgn portion 27 slides downward completelyout of engagement withthe belts 1 7 I an'd 3.18, vbe- Eing eontrolledginthis movement by l engagement between' the transverse pins 26 and .the guide 22. At the -eachfsign member is directed-bv the guide 22;againintothe control 4of the belts 17;and

bottom `of the Casingl 48,

18. The `faces of the sign members 25 exposed -at theltop .of jthe 4casing carry the numbers or names of *.the-streets andfthe -reverse sides of said sign members carry suitable advertisements or other desirable-matter. The sha-ft 11,0 Qcarresgears '28 meshing with loose gears 28 onV the motor shafts'of with the said motor shafts for driving said gears. The motor 29 is connected in series with the motor of the car (not shown) and is operative therewith, both motors being controlled by the motor controller of the car and hence it will be seen that the speed of the motors are constant at all times. Each of the clutch members 3() is operatively connected with a lever 3l, operatively connected by means of a link with a lever 33 lmounted at the upper end of the electric car. Suitable cam members 34 are arranged at suitable `intervals on the trolley wire 35 to engage the levers 33 as indicated inF ig. l to throw into operation the corresponding clutches 30 against the vaction of the clutch springs as will be readily understood. Op eration of Aeither ofthe clutches 30 correspondingly operates the corresponding sign members 25 to indicate the next succeeding stop' of the car as will be readily understood. Each of the sign casings 3 contains sufiicient sign members to indicate in duplicate the various street crossings or stops arranged in reversely arranged sets to provide for travel of the car in opposite directions as will be readily understood. By this arrangement it will be observed that the various street crossings will be automatically exhibited through each of the casings 8, one of the trolley poles being utilized for travel of the car in one direction and the other trolley pole being utilized for travel of the car in the opposite direction. The shaft 10 is also operatively connected by means of sprocket chains 36 with shafts 37 positioned on the sides vof the car. Each of the shafts 37 carries a plurality of driving drums 38 cooperating with corresponding sign belts 39 and idler drums 40 as indicated in Figs. l and 3. The belts 39 are also provided with duplicate sets of reversely arranged names of the cross streets and indicators 41 are properly positioned on the sides of the car to indicate the neXt stop. By this arrangement it will be observed that the various'cross streets or stops of the car will also be indicated on the side walls thereof between the seats.

While I have illustrated and described the preferred form of construction for carrying my invention into effect, this is capable of variation and modification without departh ing from the spirit of the invention. l,

therefore, do not wish to be limited to the precise details of construction set forth, but desire to avail myself of such variations and modilications as come within the scope of the appended claims.

` Having described my invention, what I l claim as -new and des'ii'e to secure by Letters Patent, is z*y l. The combination with a car andv track therefor, of a .plurality of traveling sign elements mounted thereon; means for operatA` ing said sign elements; a motor for operating` said operating means; an operative connection between said motor and said operating means, including a clutch; means carried by said car for operating said clutch; and stationary elements positioned along the car track and arranged to operate said clutch operating means, substantially as described.

The combination with a car and track therefor, of a plurality of traveling sign ele ments mounted thereon; means for operating said sign elements; a motor for operating said operating means; an operative connection between said motor and said operating means including an automatically releasing spring-held clutch; means carried by said car for operating said clutch; and stationary cameleinents positioned along the car tracks and ar anged to operate said clutch operating means, substantially as described.

3. The combination with an Lelectric car and track therefor, of a trolley pole on said car; a plurality of reversible traveling signs mounted on said car; traveling belts for operating said signs; a motor 'for operating said belts; an operative connection between said motor and belts, including a clutch; means carried by said trolley pole for operating said clutch; and stationary elements positioned along the/car track and arranged to operate said clutch operating means, substantially as described.

4. The combination with an electric car and track therefor, of a trolley pole on said car; a plurality of reversible traveling 'signs mounted on said car; traveling belts for operating said signs a motor for operating said belts; an operative connection between said motor and signs, including an automatic releasing spring-held clutch; means carried by said trolley for operating said clutch; and stationary cam elements positioned along the car track and arranged to operate said. clutch operating means, substantially asv described.

5. A street indicator comprising in combination with a casing having an opening therein, of a plurality of signs in said casing adapted tot pass said opening; continuous belts mounted to travel in said casing, there being projections on said belts for en gagement with said signs; and means for operating said belts, said means including a clutch, a motor, a lever operatively connected to said clutch, and stationary elements for actuating said lever, substantially as described. l

6. A street indicator comprising in combination with a casing having an opening therein, of a plurality of reversible signs in said casing adapted to pass said opening; semi-cylindrical guide members in said casmet;

belts mounted to? travel around said guide members; means on said belts for-em gagement with said signs; and means for opera-ting said belts, said means including a clutch, a motor, a lever operatively connected to said clutch, and stationary elements for actuating said lever, substantially as described.

7 A street indicator, comprising in combination with a car and a track therefor, of a casing in said car having an opening formed therein; a plurality of signs in said casing adapted to pass said opening; continuous belts mounted to travel in said casing, there being projections on said belt for engagement With said signs; a clutch for controlling the operation of said belts; means for operating said clutch; and means comprising cam members suspended from a. trolley line in the path of said car and a lever carried by the trolley pole of said car and connected to said clutch for actuating said clutch operating means, substantially as described.

8. A street indicator comprising in combination With a casing having an opening formed therein, of a plurality of reversible signs in said casing adapted to pass said opening there being transverse pins carried by said signs; semicylindrical guide members arranged in said casing in spaced relation with respect to each other; belts passing over each of said guide members, there being projections on said belts for engagement with said signs; means for operating said belts; and vertically extending guides on opposite sides of said opening for the reception of the transverse pins carried by said signs when said signs pass said opening, substantially as described. n

9. A street indicator comprising in combina-tion With a casing having an opening therein of a plurality of signs in said casing adapted to pass said opening; belts arranged in said casing in spaced relation With respect to each other, a portion of one of said belts being adapted to travel 1n substantially a semicircular plane and the other portion of said..

belt being adapted to travel in substantially a vertical plane, there being projections on said belts' for engagement with said signs;

/Ineans for operating said belts; a vertically extending guide in said casing in spaced relation With respect to the vertical portion of said belt arranged and adapted to guide said signs past said opening, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing Witnesses.

` JOHNy R. HUME.

Witnesses: v

JOSHUA R. H. Pofr'rs,v B. Gr. RICHARDS. 

